Study of viscoelastic and friction damper configurations in the seismic mitigation of medium-rise structures

This paper presents a comprehensive study of the seismic mitigation of medium rise frame-shear wall structures using embedded dampers. Two building structures with embedded viscoelastic and friction dampers in different configurations and placed in various locations throughout the structure are subjected to five different earthquake loadings. Finite element techniques are used to model the dampers and the structures and to obtain the dynamic responses. Influence of damper type and properties, configuration, and location are investigated using time history responses. Results for tip deflection and acceleration are evaluated for a number of cases and demonstrate the feasibility of the technique for seismic mitigation of these structures for a range of excitations, even when the dominant seismic frequencies match the natural frequency of the structure. Results also provide information which can be used for optimal damper placement for seismic mitigation. 1.